** Shares of biotechnology company Moderna MRNA.O down 3.5% to$25.91 premarket after co halts development of birth defect vaccine following trial setback

** Experimental Cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine mRNA-1647 showed efficacy of 6% to 23% in 7,500 women, missing company’s target in a last-stage trial

** CMV can cause birth defects if passed from mother to baby during pregnancy; no approved vaccine to cure it currently exists

* MRNA does not expect the trial goal to break even by 2028

**Co does not expect trial failure to impact 2025 outlook

** Four out of 25 analysts rate stock "buy", 16 "hold" and five rate it "sell" or below; median PT at $30.50 - data compiled by LSEG

** As of Wednesday's close, MRNA shares down 35.43% YTD,

(Reporting by Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru)

((tharuniyaa@thomsonreuters.com))